


When Those Blue Memories Start Calling

by travels_in_time



Category: NCIS
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 10:23:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8975887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/travels_in_time/pseuds/travels_in_time
Summary: Tony is a grown man who is completely capable of looking after himself, and Gibbs is a cranky bastard who doesn't worry about him.  At all.





	

**Author's Note:**

> More fluff. Christmas fluff, my favorite kind! (Okay, as fluffy as Gibbs gets, which isn't very.)

"Special Agent DiNozzo!" Their witness dashed out of the house, waving something. "You left this--"

Tony, halfway into the car, levered himself out again and turned to her, all smiles. "Thank you so much, Ms. Kirkland," he said sincerely, taking the scarf she held out to him. 

"Angela, please," she reminded him.

"Angela, of course," he returned, grinning at her ruefully. "I lose more of these things…"

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked irritably. 

"Coming, Boss!" Tony backed towards the car again. "Now remember, Angela, if you think of anything else, don't hesitate to call me." He waved at her as he closed the car door, and Gibbs stomped on the gas before Tony had even buckled up. 

He'd never, ever admit it, but he was secretly grateful to the attractive blonde woman they'd been interviewing. Tony had the worst propensity for forgetting, leaving, and losing his cold-weather gear of anyone Gibbs had ever known. The hats and gloves they had to wear at crime scenes prevented anything warmer there, but Tony did at least attempt to wrap up somewhat. Every year when the temperature dipped he bought cheap scarves in bulk, and every year by the time it had gotten to dangerously low--for him--levels, they'd fallen somewhere by the wayside. 

DiNozzo was a grown man, Gibbs told himself. He didn't need anyone watching him, wondering where he'd left the latest batch of protective clothing; wondering how soon he would start coughing if he didn't get wrapped up soon; wondering if a hot coffee or cocoa would warm him up quickly enough. Tony wouldn't appreciate coddling or fussing, and Gibbs certainly wasn't the type to do either. 

Tony was smoothing the scarf out, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper that was entangled in it. He unfolded it, casting a quick look at it before glancing at Gibbs and stuffing it into his pocket. Angela's phone number, no doubt; never mind that they had it anyway, for the official paperwork. 

Gibbs didn't think Tony'd been flirting in any overt way. At least, he hadn't felt the old urge to smack him at any point. Tony's natural charm and friendliness just tended to have that effect on people. It had worked out in Tony's favor this time, and that was what was important, right?

"Stop playing with the damn scarf and put it on, DiNozzo," he growled irritably, and Tony hurried to obey. 

"On it, Boss!"

********************

Gibbs squinted at the sky as the first drops hit, then looked around at his team. "Wrap it up, people!"

Tony snapped a few more shots, and then also looked up before gazing around the scene. "Think I got everything, Boss." He turned to McGee, tucking the camera in behind his NCIS jacket to protect it. "Need a hand with the rest of the evidence?"

The rain was starting to come down harder, and the temperature had been dropping for the past few hours. Tony turned the collar up on his jacket and tugged the sleeves down ineffectually. McGee handed him the evidence bags, and as Tony reached out to take them, Gibbs saw his hands shaking. "Almost done," McGee was saying. "Just a couple more things over by the dumpster, come on."

McGee was shivering as well, despite being more warmly wrapped up than Tony. Tony glanced back at Gibbs, just checking in, and maybe it was a trick of the light, maybe it was the way the rain was really sheeting down now, pricking like needles when it hit skin, but his lips looked almost blue in the growing dimness of the evening. 

Gibbs stalked over and snatched the bags out of Tony's hand. "In the car, DiNozzo," he snapped. 

"But I--" 

Gibbs pinned him with a glare. "I'd like to get this done before my crime scene freezes over. Now go warm up the damn car, you got that?"

"G-got it, B-Boss." Tony's teeth were chattering so hard he could barely speak, but at least he wasn't arguing any more. Gibbs watched him as he retreated back to the agency vehicle, and then turned to follow McGee, who was smart enough to be already heading to the dumpster, not meeting Gibbs' eyes. 

*******************

"Gear up, people, dead Marine in Rock Creek Park!" 

Gibbs was completely focused on the case, wasn't watching his people out of the corner of his eye. Definitely didn't see Tony slide into his coat quickly and then reach for the hook where he kept his scarf, when he had one. Tony's hand dropped as he realized there was nothing there, and he tried to cover the movement, reaching for his gun and badge. 

"Lose something, DiNozzo?" He hadn't meant to say anything. With any luck, that had come out sounding scornful instead of concerned.

"Actually, no," Tony said reluctantly. "I know exactly where it is. There was this kid on the bus, he didn't have a coat or anything and he just looked so--"

McGee was rooting around in one of his desk drawers, pulling out a scarf and tossing it to Tony. "Here, Tony, I've got an extra," he said hastily, attempting to head off the impending Gibbs-plosion.

"Thanks, but I really don't--"

"It's sleeting again, and I heard you coughing, you have to--"

Tony straightened, glaring at him. "I'm _fine_ , and I don't need--"

"Take the damn thing already and let's go, DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked. 

Tony was looping the scarf around his neck, grabbing his bag and falling in behind him. "On your six, Boss!" To his rear, Gibbs heard him say softly, "Thanks, Tim. I'll get it back to you." Silence for a moment as they waited for the elevator and Gibbs pictured McGee's eyeroll, and then Tony admitted guiltily, "Maybe." 

 

*******************

 

Abby frowned at him when he came into the lab. "Gibbs! I was expecting Tony. Not that I'm not thrilled to see you!" she added hastily. He wordlessly held out the Caf-Pow he'd brought, and she grabbed it and slurped at it noisily, grinning at him. "Especially when you come bearing gifts. I'd just called him earlier because I have some top-secret info and I thought he'd--"

"About the case?" Gibbs interrupted. 

"Well, no, that wouldn't be top-secret. At least not from you. I just know who he got for the Secret Santa and I just found out something that his person really, really wants and I wanted to let him know before--"

"The _case_ , Abs?"

"Oh, right!"

He managed to keep her focused long enough to update him on her results, and then he turned to leave, but she was still talking. "So where is Tony?"

"Inconsistencies in the Petty Officer's banking records. He and Bishop went out to talk to the widow again." 

Abby's eyes were anxious as she glanced up at the high windows. "It's miserable out there, did you make sure he was bundled up good? You know his lungs--"

"I'm not his mom, Abs," he snapped. "If he can't keep up with his own damn clothes--" He stopped short, realizing he'd just admitted that he was more aware of Tony's habits than he wanted anyone to know. He changed tack. "Job doesn't get put on hold just because the weather's bad." 

Abby hadn't missed his slip-up. She was grinning at him as she pulled a slip of paper out of a drawer. "Whose name did you get in the Secret Santa drawing?"

He hadn't been there this year when they drew names. That had been a mistake, as normally he was able to head them off at the pass just by grunting and glaring. But Abby had cheerfully informed him that he was already in, and bowing out would mess everything up, and don't be such a Grinch, Gibbs, it's fun! At the time, he hadn't had the heart to argue with her. 

"Palmer," he sighed. "And what the hell I'd get for him--"

"Something in a size 12," Abby said absently, before seeing the expression on his face and refocusing. "I mean, I'll take care of Jimmy. I think you need this more than I do." She handed him the paper, and he read Tony's name on it. 

"Abs, how is this--"

"Tony follows orders, Bossman," she said simply, like he didn't know that. She beamed at him again. "Get him something nice."

**********************

They actually weren't on call this year for Christmas--theoretically they'd have four days off, unless an emergency came up--and most of them had their own family celebrations to get to, so the team get-together was a simple dinner out after the last day on duty. Abby was sporting a knit hat with a pattern of skulls wearing Santa hats. She passed out hats to the rest of them and they all good-naturedly took one until she got to Gibbs, who was at the end of the table, with Abby and Tony on either side of him. Tony reached across the table, intercepting the Santa hat she was offering. "Uh, in the spirit of us all surviving into the New Year, maybe not?" he asked hopefully, settling his green Christmas-tree-shaped hat, topped with pointy star, more firmly on his head. "Love McGee's elf hat, by the way." 

Abby pouted at him. "Fine," she agreed. "But for ruining the Christmas spirit, you get your gift last."

"But it wasn't even--" Tony protested, then sighed in a put-upon manner. "Fine." 

All that meant was that by the time everyone else had opened their gifts and guessed who their Santas were, there was only one person left that Tony's gift could be from. Jimmy said as much, with his usual tact. "Guess it's a good thing you can't gift-wrap a headslap, right, Tony?" He grinned down the table at Tony, but was distracted as the waiter brought the food out and began handing it around, deftly dodging the reindeer antlers on Jimmy's hat. 

Tony cast a worried look at the package on the table and poked at it gently, as if Jimmy's idea might have some merit. "Won't bite," Gibbs said gruffly. 

Tony looked up, his eyes sparkling. "You sure about that?" He opened the package carefully as Gibbs watched, trying to look disinterested. Tony's eyes widened as he stroked the fabric. "Wow. That's really nice, Boss." He glanced across the table, where Abby was giggling over something with McGee. 

Gibbs, interpreting the look, disabused him of the notion. "She didn't do it. Got it myself."

Tony's eyes widened. "You? _You_ went shopping at Christmas time?"

Gibbs had, even though it was something he normally avoided like the pla--like something disastrous to be avoided--and then he'd endured the attentions of a far-too-chirpy sales attendant. "Scarf," he'd grunted. "Warm." 

"Of course, sir!" the salesman--salesboy, Gibbs thought sourly--had returned cheerfully. "For yourself, or a gift?"

Gibbs didn't see why it was any of his business. "A gift," he'd admitted nonetheless, and then realized his mistake when the kid started towing him towards the flowery, delicate section. "For a guy," he clarified. 

The kid changed direction without blinking, showing him their menswear scarves, talking up fabrics and weaves and nonsense that made Gibbs' head spin. "Look, I don't care what it's made out of," he said impatiently. "Needs to be soft. And warm. Something he can use for a while." 

"Of course, sir. Color preference?" 

Gibbs thought about it. He didn't know if Tony had a favorite scarf color that he preferred, he went through so many. 

"Do you want it to match his coat?" the kid asked, clearly trying to be helpful. 

Gibbs stared at him. It shouldn't be this complicated to buy what was basically a neck blanket. "I want it to keep him _warm_."

The kid was starting to develop that strained look around his eyes that people generally got when dealing with Gibbs. "What color is his hair? His eyes?"

"Brown hair. Green eyes." Gibbs frowned. "Greenish-brown. Mostly."

"Hazel." The kid dug through the racks, mumbling, and then pulled out something that looked like every other scarf Gibbs had looked at. The kid told him what it was made of, which meant nothing to Gibbs, but it was soft and the kid assured him that it was the warmest thing he could buy next to an electric blanket, and it was a nice shade of green; it looked like something that even Tony, with his designer suits, might like. Gibbs took it, managed to keep himself from flinching at the register, and got the hell out of there. 

Tony didn't need to know all that. "Yep," Gibbs answered shortly. 

"Wow." Tony's head was bent down; he was still scrutinizing the gift, still stroking it softly, seeming mesmerized by it. "Means a lot, Boss."

"Yeah, well, don't lose it."

Tony looked up then, searching his eyes, his own softening. "Hey…you know I'm okay, right? I haven't had any trouble in years. Ducky keeps an eye on me, and in between him and Brad Pitt, I'm on more antibiotics every winter than--"

"DiNozzo," Gibbs interrupted, fixing him with a hard stare. "Don't lose the damn scarf. That's an order." 

And Tony smiled warmly at him, that sweet, genuine smile that so few people ever got to see, as the waiter reached their end of the table and set their food down in front of them. "I gotcha, Boss."


End file.
